Research Instrument,

Validity and Reliability

What I Need to Know

Quantitative Research Instrument

What do you think will happen if tools for building a house is not prepared meticulously?
The same thing when getting information for answers to a research problem, tools, or
instruments should be prepared carefully. In constructing a quantitative research instrument,
it is very important to remember that the tools created should require responses or data that
will be numerically analyzed.

Research Instruments are basic tools researchers used to gather data for specific
research problems. Common instruments are performance tests, questionnaires,
interviews, and observation checklist. The first two instruments are usually used in
quantitative research, while the last two instruments are often in qualitative research.
However, interviews and observation checklists can still be used in quantitative research once
the information gathered is translated into numerical data.

What Is It

In constructing the research instrument of the study, there are many factors to be
considered. The type of instrument, reasons for choosing the type, and the description and
conceptual definition of its parts are some of the factors that need to be decided before
constructing a research instrument. Furthermore, it is also very important to understand the
concepts of scales of research instruments and how to establish validity and reliability of
instruments.

Characteristics of a Good Research Instrument

Concise. Have you tried answering a very long test, and because of its length, you
just pick the answer without even reading it? A good research instrument is concise in length
yet can elicit the needed data.

Sequential. Questions or items must be arranged well. It is recommended to arrange

it from simplest to the most complex. In this way, the instrument will be more favorable to the
respondents to answer.

Valid and reliable. The instrument should pass the tests of validity and reliability to
get more appropriate and accurate information.

Easily tabulated. Since you will be constructing an instrument for quantitative

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research, this factor should be considered. Hence, before crafting the instruments, the
researcher makes sure that the variable and research questions are established. These will
be an important basis for making items in the research instruments.

Ways in Developing Research Instrument

There are three ways you can consider in developing the research instrument for your
study. First is adopting an instrument from the already utilized instruments from previous
related studies. The second way is modifying an existing instrument when the available
instruments do not yield the exact data that will answer the research problem. And the third
way is when the researcher made his own instrument that corresponds to the variable and
scope of his current study.

Common Scales Used in Quantitative Research

Likert Scale. This is the most common scale used in quantitative research.
Respondents were asked to rate or rank statements according to the scale provided.

Example: A Likert scale that measures the attitude of students towards distance
learning.

Strongly Strongly
Items Agree Agree Disagree Disagree
There would be difficulty in
communicating our concerns to our
teacher.
There would be many distractions
when learning at home than in
school.

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 Semantic Differential. In this scale, a series of bipolar adjectives will be rated by the
respondents. This scale seems to be more advantageous since it is more flexible and easy to
construct.

Example: On a description of an active student in school activities.

Pleasant 5 4 3 2 1 Unpleasant
Enthusiastic 5 4 3 2 1 Not Enthusiastic
Competent 5 4 3 2 1 Incompetent

Another important consideration in constructing a research instrument is how to

establish its validity and reliability.

Types of Validity of Instrument

Face Validity. It is also known as “logical validity.” It

calls for an initiative judgment of the instruments as it Validity
“appear.” Just by looking at the instrument, the researcher
decides if it is valid. A research instrument
is considered valid if it
Content Validity. An instrument that is judged with measures what it
content validity meets the objectives of the study. It is done supposed to measure.
by checking the statements or questions if this elicits the
needed information. Experts in the field of interest can also When measuring oral
provide specific elements that should be measured by the communication
instrument. proficiency level of
students, speech
Construct Validity. It refers to the validity of performance using
instruments as it corresponds to the theoretical construct of rubric or rating scale is
the study. It is concerning if a specific measure relates to more valid than
other measures. students are given
multiple choice tests.
Concurrent Validity. When the instrument can
predict results similar to those similar tests already validated, Validity also has
it has concurrent validity. several types: face,
content, construct,
Predictive Validity. When the instrument is able to concurrent, and
produce results similar to those similar tests that will be predictive validity.
employed in the future, it has predictive validity. This is
particularly useful for the aptitude test.

Reliability of Instrument

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 Test-retest Reliability. It is achieved by giving thesame
Reliability refers to test to the same group of respondents twice. The consistency of
the consistency ofthe the two scores will be checked.
measures or results
of theinstrument. Equivalent Forms Reliability. It is established by administering
two identical tests except for wordings to the same group of
respondents.

Internal Consistency Reliability. It determines how well the items measure the same
construct. It is reasonable that when a respondent gets a high score in one item, he will also
get one in similar items. There are three ways to measure the internal consistency; through
the split-half coefficient, Cronbach’s alpha, and Kuder-Richardson formula